We are all therefore one day to take holy orders to be made Priests and Kings or Priests Melchisedechical Indeed we are already Priests not only some of us in respect of the rest which I have mentioned before who officiate for them in the publick assemblies but even all the people of God in comparison of the rest of the world the Church being a chosen generation out of all the rest an holy Nation a Kingdom of Priests Gods peculiar treasure the Israel of God separated and sanctified for to serve him See Exod. 19. 5 6. Gal. 6. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. Rev. 1. 6. Every one of whom not only by the Priest in publique assemblies but by themselves also in their hearts may offer sacrifices immediately to God the Father acceptable thro Jesus Christ Heb. 7. 19. and hence are we also called not only Priests by whom but Temples also and that not our souls only but our bodies inhabited by Gods spirit as that Ancient one was by his Glory in whom such sacrifice is offered as our Saviors body also more eminently was stiled a Temple See Jo. 2. 21. 1 Cor. 3. 16. -6. 19. Eph. 2. 22. But this Temple is yet but in building as it were we being here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hereafter more perfectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here Tabernacles hereafter Temples see Eph. 2. 21 22. But these we shall be made yet much more hereafter 1. After the day of judgment For then shall every place become a Sanctum Sanctorum and every one a Priest See Rev. 21. 22 23. where the new Jerusalem that after the final judgment Rev. 20. 12. comes down from heaven where perhaps as God expresseth elsewhere earthly by heavenly things so here heavenly by earthly hath no Temple at all in it For that which indeed makes a Temple whereever it resides the glory of God and of the Lamb being now spread all over it irradiating and illuminating it throughout in which respect there is said to be neither Sunshine nor Night there it is all of it nothing but a Temple vers 3. or God being the Temple vers 22. all over it See the same thing prophecyed Esai 4. 3 5. that every one should be â—…alled holy and every house and assembly in Sion have the same glory upon it cloud by day and fire by night that was on the Tabernacle And in this Sanctum Sanctorum Gods Servants shall see his face without a cloud of Incense betwixt and stand before his glory with his name Holiness unto the Lord in their foreheads Rev. 22. 4. and there they shall serve him vers 3. See Esai 61. 6. -66. 21. night and day in his Temple Rev. 7. 15. before the Throne of Glory in singing eternal glories and praises to him for there shall be no more confession where no sin nor praier where no more want not infirmity nor affliction the nations being healed by the tree of life Rev. 22. 2. no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any curse or excommunication of any Rev. 22. 3. there And secondly As then Priests and Servants to God the Creator so are they also Kings or Lords over the Creation sit down on thrones with Christ and Rev. 3. 21. and reign for ever and ever 22. 5. reign on the earth 5. 10. over the Nations 2. 26 27. Judge Angels Judge the 12 Tribes be rulers over Cities Luk. 19. 17. see Matt. 25. 21. -24. 47. Luk. 16. 10. which expressions so far as they have reference to Christs kingdom after the final day of judgment and not to that prosperous condition of the Church which is promised before it are metaphors expressing the unintelligible things of the next by the more acquainted things of this world which cannot be no more then those Ezek. 43. c. c. speaking of the same things litterally fulfilled 2. Priests also after Death before the great judgment day in the better part of us the soul the estate of which tho it was Gods pleasure that it should not be fully revealed to us yet we may not neglect to take notice of that which is so It seems plain then 1. That tho there is no formal judgment or sentence passed upon any man at the day of Death or final reward appointed or any convention or appearance of the soul before the eternal Judge for why then have not other spirits that are void of bodies as yet received that judgment see 1 Cor. 6. 3. And tho the soul as well as the body attain not as not extensively so neither intensively its full beatitude reward and crown nor vision and communication of God and glory nor a full satisfying of its desires Ps. 16. 15. or punishment pain and torment until the general day of judgment and retribution which is true not only of men 2 Pet. 2. 9. but devils more great and more Ancient offenders then men 〈◊〉 6. as may be gathered from both our Saviors and the Apostles frequent expressions commanding us to depend and cast our hope on the expectation of the coming of Christ in glory at the last day and deferring the receit of our salvation of the reward and of the crown of glory c. till that time See Luk. 14. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 8. -1. 12 16 18. 1 Pet. 1. 5 13. 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Act. 3. 19 20 21. Luk. 21. 27 28. Phil. 2. 16. -3. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 7 8. -15. 19 32. 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. 2 Thess. 1. 6 7. Heb. 9. 27 29. Rev. 22. 7 12. Col. 3. 3. comp 4. 1 Jo. 3. 2. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Jo. 14. 3. By which it appears that there is a place not to be entered before Christs second coming prepared by his Ascension but before this were many souls in Paradise And this applied not only to the body but the spirit 1 Cor. 5. 5. From the petition and expectation of these souls Rev. 6. 9 10 11. From the just punishments of other spirits much worse and that stay for no bodies yet defer'd till that day See Jude 6. Matt. 8. 19. -25. 42. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Luk. 8. 31. comp Eph. 2. 2. Some at least it seems dwelling in the Air and not yet cast into the Abysse and likewise in this interval between death and judgment tho 't is most probable that some souls attain not so much bliss and glory and priviledg as some others See Rev. 20. 4. comp 5. -14. 4. Nor perhaps so much security I mean not in respect of damnation but in respect of that severe tryal which shall be at that dreadful day and of the measure of their salvation bliss and reward For since some sins shall come into judgment and scrutiny at that day which shall not amount to the condemnation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which our Savior expresseth hell here Matt. 5. 22. as frequently elsewhere See vers 29. Matt. 25. 33. see Matt. 5. 22. comp Matt. 12. 36. And since of those
was offered every morning and evening and was to lie upon the Altar continually and upon this were all other Eucharistical Sacrifices to be offered Lev. 13. 5. -6. 12 Now as the irreversible doom from Gods eternal justice of sin without which undergone it could not be blotted out was death so it was also to be the death either of the sinner himself or of as worthy or a more noble person in his stead that should take the guilt of the others sin upon him God out of his infinite wisdom and mercy to man leaving this outlet of commutation of the person that so observing his former decrees by the death of his Son he might save his creature from destruction Therefore the sacrifice and blood of Beasts became useless and much more that of one guilty person for another for his death could onely answer for his own sin Heb. 10. 4. It was not possible for the blood of Bulls and Goats to take away sin neither did God in them take any pleasure Ps 50. But only appointed them as types and antifigures of that alsufficient acceptable sacrifice which in the fulness of times dispensed by God was to be offered up Heb. 10. 14. for us In presignification of which transferring of mans guilt and sin upon anothcr person that should suffer for him The sinner was to lay his hand upon the legal sacrifice that was to be accepted for him Levit. 5. 5. -44 15 26. the like to which tho not with the same purpose man did also upon his Savior and that both the Gentile for the Roman Soldiers had a part and the Jew joyntly making an oblation of him tho they knew not what they did And this was the Son of God who first that he might be a sacrifice was Incarnate and became mortal flesh Rom. 8. 3. Secondly without all sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. for his own person and so owed no death to God for himself In type of which the legal Sacrifices were required to be perfect and without blemish nor blind nor broken nor maimed nor scabbed Lev. 22. 22. and so the fruits to be the very best of them Numb 18. 12 29 30. Thirdly in voluntarily presenting himself a devoted thing Jo. 17. 19. and a curse Gal. 3. 13. for others For which reason he not only took human nature but it by descent from those who had sinned and from those who were restrained under a Law See Gal. 4. 4 5. Heb. 2. 10 11 14. was a reasonable sacrifice in every thing like to those for whom he suffered bearing our guilt and Gods wrath that pursued it after the same manner that our selves should have born it The torments of which guilt we may a little guess at from those we sometimes have suffered in our own consciences Imagine him then in every thing assuming the place of a sinner so lamenting all offences as if he had done them Imagine him perfectly knowing and weighing which the sinner never could the number the hainousness the odiousness the malice of them toward his Father so holy and so good and then proportioning his grief unto it Consider again that zeal and sense and tenderness he had to his Fathers glory and honour thus violated then that knowledge-passing love Eph. 3. 19. and compassion to men his Brethren who had thus misbehaved themselves that whilst all other creatures served God and obeyed the law he had set them Ps. 148. 6. He repented himself that he had made man upon the earth Gen. 5. 6 Next imagine him foreseeing also all the sins to come mine and thine and among the rest the malice of his own people the rejection of them and destruction of their City and his Fathers house which thing even in his triumph had drawn tears from him Luk. 19. 41. and this for shedding his blood the purpose of which shedding was to have saved them that thro their final obstinacy turned that to their ruin which was of such infinite merit and in this passion hear him saying again for them and all impenitent sinners How fain how oft would I have gathered c. and Daughters of Israel weep not for me but c. Imagine then the sorrows he now underwent for these mens offences that they might and for those because they could not be forgiven and then tell me if ever sorrow was like unto his sorrow And read his sad complaints Ps. 38. and Ps. 40. 12. penn'd for our Savior see Heb. 10. 5. Rom. 7. 22. From whence proceeded that deadly sadness Matt. 26. 37 38. and fear Heb. 5. 7. and amazement and faintings and bloody sweat which things never any sacrifice suffered before him nor any after him of those many holy Martyrs nay they were in their passion sustained by him but he in his if I may use his own Phrase forsaken nay smitten Esai 53. 4. by his God by his Father whom he had never displeased tho enduring perhaps more bodily torment yet even had a soul so overcharged so anguished and afflicted which was sufficiently discerned as by those strange sweats strong crying and tears and passionate prayers to have put by that bitter cup so by that loud exclamation upon the Cross when the spirit left that sacred Temple of the body forsaken and yet not forsaking but committing it self into the hands of his Father See Matt. 27. 46. Luk. 23. 46. Heb. 5. 7. This anguish of Soul Mark. 14. is translated by the vulgar pavor toedium by us amazedness and heaviness of which the Prophet Lam. 1. 12. was there ever sorrow and the Psalmist Ps. 69. 20. I looked for some to take pitty but there was none except only an Angel to strengthen him to endure his grief and a fellow to help him to carry his Cross not to remove them when he fainted under both For the weight of all the sins of all lay upon this innocent Lamb even the betraying and murther of those too that betrayed that murdered him as iâ—… he himself had committed the misdemeanors he suffered towards whom mean while he burnt with such an ardent love that upon the Cross he begg'd for them and he assumed all the sufferings nature was capable of to make abundant satisfaction for them Which he that will see at length let him read the 22. 69. 35. Psalms penn'd for him as appears by Matt. 27. 34 46 48. Jo. 2. 17. Jo. 15. 25. whilst that all Gods vindicative anger against us was poured out upon him upon him a Sacrifice reasonable and so in an human manner sensible of the Divine indignation which Agonies of the Soul were followed with all the inhumanities and cruelties of his executioners that could be offered to the body both in the pains and reproach of his death But the slaughter of this Lamb is too long a Tragedy to be here set down And God pittied Abrahams Son being a preludium to the death of his own so muâ—…h as that he would permit him to suffer no more
of Jesus of the Son see Gal. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 11. Act. 16. 7. vulg Jo. 16. 7 14. we come to be his sons Now this spirit is not given promiscuously to all the sons of the first Adam nor is all the seed of the first by God the Father's secret will in the dispensation here and there of the ministery of the Gospel and by the default of some of those that hear it therefore our Savior useth those limitations Jo. 6. 44 65. -17. 9 11 12. the seed also of the second But there is something on mans part prerequired for God having given us before in our first Creation something we may make use of in our second and besides this the external ministry of the Gospel where-we are called to grace tho creavit to sine te non salvabit te sine te to the receiving of this spirit I mean here in a more eminent degree of its operations and of our sanctification and union by it unto Christ our Lord and our incorporation and entrance into this heavenly linage And these are Faith some degree of it i. e. gladly receiving the word Act. 2. 41. called also obedience to the word see Act. 8. 12 13 37. comp v. 16. 17. Eph. 1. 13. Jo. 17. 39. not rejecting the counsel of God Luk. 7. 30. believing Gods justification of the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. and Repentance for sins past intending to live no longer in them see Heb. 6. 2. 1 Pet. 3. 21. yet which also both faith and repentance are the gift of God see Eph. 2. 8. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Act. 16. 14. tho the first cometh ordinarily by hearing where by Gods mercy the Gospel is preached Rom. 10. 17. and the second by the first Jonah 3. 5. Upon which two Christ hath appointed Baptism to be administred by his substitutes and the holy spirit at the same time by himself conferred see Jo. 7. 39. Eph. 1. 13. Gal. 3. 2 13 22. Act. 2. 38. -19. 2. -5. 32. Luk. 11. 13. First then at our Baptism upon faith and repentance Ps 45. 10. we begin to be born again of water and of the spirit but not so as presently quite cashiering the image of the former Adam but as being now a compound of an old man and a new or of a body and soul from Adam called the flesh and of a spirit from Christ I mean not that contradistinguished to the soul 1 Thess. 5. 23. where by the spirit seems to be meant the rational Intellective part or soul see 1 Cor. 2. 11. Act. 7. 59. Luk. 23. 46. By soul the 〈◊〉 and sensitive part or soul which is also used for to signify life but I mean a spirit superadded to this natural spirit See 1 Cor. 14. 14 2. where there is a spirit in us plainly distinguished from the natural faculty of the understanding which operated when the understanding was quiescent see v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Rev. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 12. 10. c. the spirit of man being the soul of a natural man besides which the Apostles had another spirit searching all things c. as Christ also is compounded of two natures the Human and Divine Act. 10. 38 yet is the one of these dying in us by degrees as the other grows and we are putting off mortifying crucifying the one and putting on and renewing the other day by day Rom. 6. 6. Col. 3. 5. Gal. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 22 23 24. whilst there is a perpetual combate between them The spirit lusting against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. until we are perfected which is not attained in this life Yet here the elder man is serving the younger provided that we do not wither and fall away from grace and dy again to God And by reason of this double outward and inward man that is in us it is that the Apostles where they tell us that we are dead to sin c. yet exhort us also to dy to sin see Rom. 6. 2. comp 12. 1 Pet. 4. 1. comp 1 Pet. 2. 11. and that the Saints where they give thanks do also pray for a deliverance Now in this our renovation made by certain steps and degrees this spirit derived from Christ operateth and produceth the image of Christ first in our soul and then afterward in our body After the same manner as it was in Christ himself who first had grace in his soul with passibility in his body till he died after which that also was glorified by the same spirit Here therefore it begins in this life by its mighty working Col. 1. 29. 2 Cor. 9. 14 15. to transform and renew us Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 13. Gal. 2. 19 20. Eph. 3. 16 17. Phil. 1. 21. residing here after faith and repentance which are certain preludium's and foregifts also of it See Matt. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 12. 3. 1 Jo. 4. 2. and are increased in us proportionably as it is bringing all its rich graces with it mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 3 8. c. 1. Illuminating and inspiring and renewing knowledge in the understanding in vain without it sought by us any other way therefore called the spirit of truth see Jo. 16. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 10. c. 2 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Jo. 2. 20 27. and of prophecy Rev. 9. 10. -12. 17. 1 Jo. 5. 10. 2. Sanctifying the will and affections Therefore called the spirit of holiness first quenching there all worldly desires and satiating the soul instead of them see Jo. 7. 37 39. -4. 14. 2. Begetting an ardent and unsatiable love of God and fervency of praier and obedience to all his commands written by it in our hearts out of love such as was in Christ. Matt. 5. 6. Ps. 40. 8. Rom. 5. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 7. 2 Cor. 3. 6 7. Rom. 8. 26 27. 3. Producing greater joy in and desire of sufferings In imitation of our Savior for his for Gods for the truths sake which truth this spirit seals unto us 1 Thess. 1. 6. Rom. 5. â—… Heb. 10. 34. Act. 5. 41. Phil. 1. 29. 2 Cor. 12. 10. Col. 1. 11. 2 Cor. 11. 23. I more his Minister c. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Lastly comforting alwaies by begetting a lively hope by witnessing to us what we are and sealing what we shall be Gal. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Jo. 16. 17. Rom. 8. 16. 2 Thess. 2. 16. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Jo. 3. 24. Eph. 1. 13. All which graces now are the image of Christ stamped on the soul called partaking of his holiness Heb. 12. 10. and being created after God in righteousness Eph. 4. 24. But yet this image of or union with our Savior in the soul is not perfect neither in this life therefore called first fâ—…uits only of the spirit and tast of the heavenly gifts and the powers of the world to come an earnest and seal of something to be had more fully hereafter
who shall be saved in that day yet this salvation shall be much more difficultly attained by some then others 1 Cor. 3. 15. It cannot be imagined that the state of all the souls of those who rest in peace are alike blissful in the interval between death and judgment or equally comforted of some of whom such a severe examen is afterwards to be passed It cannot be that such a difference of the salvandi being to be in judgment there should be none before it nor the same soul so much in bliss at one time as some other see Rev. 20. 4. -14. 1. -7. 4 9 14 15. comp Rev. 6. 10 11. Yet it seems plain I say that the soul in general severed from the body doth afterwards of it self subsist That it is still intelligent and hath use of its faculties That it because other spirits are is capable 〈◊〉 â—…wing things corporeal That it certain of salvation passeth at least those of the more perfect carried thither by Angels Luk. 16. 22. comp Matt. 24. 31. Luk. 16. 9. comp Luk. 12. 20. into a place of rest consolation inchoative bliss or certain of its damnation of imprisonment and inchoated pain till the resurrection of the body Secondly That the souls of the faithful since his resurrection are gathered to Christ and do tho not all in the same proximity and degrees of consolations then see and behold him and the blessed Angels See 2 Cor. 5. 7. comp with 6. 8. for if St. Paul desires this change because here we walk by faith not by sight therefore we walk there by sight not by faith See 1 Cor. 13. 12. comp with 10. and Heb. 12. 23. So Calvin who spake very warily in this point Animae piorum militiae labore defunctae in beatam quietem concedunt ubi cum felici laetitia fruitionem promissâ—… gloriae expectant and again Christus illis praesens est eas recipit in paradisum ut consolationem percipiant c. Reproborum vero animâ—… the furthest removed from God and light cruciatus quales meritae sunt patiuntur vinctae catenis ut etiam diaboli Jude 6. tenentur donec ad supplicium cui addictae sunt trabantur It is plain I say from these texts well considered Matt. 10. 28. Job 1. 8. 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. Heb. 12. 23. Act. 7. 59. Luk. 23. 43 46. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Phil. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. comp 6. and 8. Luk. 16. 22. 〈◊〉 20. Rev. 19. 22. comp 20. 12. In some of which tho some things are said of the person yet they must needs be understood only of the soul Animus cujusque est quisque And indeed it were unreasonable to deny to the soul in its state of separation that converse with God those favors revelations c. from him which we must grant to it in an extasy wherein the body lies as it were dead and unserviceable unto it which St. Paul experienced in his raptures 2 Cor. 12. 2. and to the Prophets in their dreams These things granted to see a little further whether any thing can be discovered concerning the imployments c. of the souls of the Blessed that are with Christ. First we find the Court of Heaven as now it is since our Saviors Ascension described by the Apostle Heb. 12. 22. c. to consist of God Christ Angels a Church or general assembly of the first-born and spirits of just men made perfect called by him in other places the Family in Heaven Eph 3. 15. Thâ—… Jerusalem above our Mother-City Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. In respect of which we are said to have our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heaven Phil. 3. 20. And perhaps that text Eph. 2. 〈◊〉 where we are said to be set down with Christ may be meant of that part of the Church which now resides in Heaven Again in all St. Johns visisions we find besides all the usual appearances of the old Testament first the representation of a Church or Ecclesiastical Senate now in heaven described before Heb. 12. 22. and these there praising God for the Creation Rev. 4. 10 11. then the Lamb Rev. 5. 8. for his mercy to the Church and for his judgment upon its enemies for all the works of God are one of these two for the reward they had received Redemption of the whole Church out of every nation and people amongst which still this comes in that they were made Priests and Kings as we find it every where frequent see Rev. 1. 6. -7. 15. -20. 6. and for that they should receive reigning upon earth i. e. in the new Jerusalem descending from Heaven Rev. 21. 2. after the execution of Gods judgments upon their the Churches enemies See Rev. 5. 9 10. -11. 16 17 18. which praise in the 4. and 11. chap. the 24. Presbyters singly perform and tho in the 5th the Cherubims joyn with them 't is in the worshiping not in the song as drawn in that form for else the Angels every where glorify God as fellow Servants Rev. 19. 10. -22. 9. for his mercies to the Church 2dly Besides this Senate we find mention of souls first of the primitive Martyrs those slain for the witness of Jesus appearing under the Altar where sacrifices were slain and the blood which is the life or soul Lev. 17. 14. poured out at foot thereof and here crying out How long before the time of vengeance Rev. 6. 10. not that they thirst after Revenge but their reward yet this thirst void of impatience which it seems was not to be bestowed till the accomplishment of the rest of their Brethren yet under persecution and the destruction of their enemies see Rev. 20. chap. as Gods reward and punishments have their solemn and set times and are not of men single but of many together thus it is in the first resurrection Rev. 20. 4 5. after destruction of the Beast c. Rev. 19. 20. those sooner and later martyred crowned at once and thus in the second Resurrection Rev. 20. 12. At the destruction of Satan and death those long and lately dead raised at once Meanwhile there are given them white Robes and rest Rev. 6. 11. white robes implying both the righteousness innocency holiness of these Saints which they bring with them from the Earth see Rev. 19. 8. -7. 4. -3. 4. and the glory and light and beauty which is given to this innocency from God after this upon their number accomplished and judgment ready to be executed upon those who killed them See Rev. 8. 7. c. we find these souls clothed with white robes and palms in their hands standing before the Throne c. and praising God and admitted to serve him in his Temple and to follow the Lamb c. Rev. 7. 9 15. c. Next we find the souls of those who living in latter times had gotten the victory over the Beast first with patience resting and their good works i. e. their white linnen following them
Rev. 14. 12 13. then their number likewise being accomplished and now judgment going forth against the Beast c. standing likewise upon the sea of glass before the Throne with Harps as the service of the Temple was celebrated with Musick 1 Chron. 25. 1. Harps of God as 1 Thess. 4. 16. and singing Moses's triumphal song over the Egyptians see Rev. 15. 2 3. -4. 6. To these two may be added those primitiae of Israel who first upon earth upon going forth of judgment were sealed to be preserved Rev. 7. 3. and then are found Rev. 14. 3. praising God on Mount Sion Lastly afte judgment executed and finisht as well upon the Beast false prophet c. Rev. 19. 20. as upon the persecutors of the primitive Martyrs Rev. 8. 7. c. We find the promised reward given to the souls both of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus Rev. 6. 10. and those after who had not worshipped the Beast Rev. 15. 2. both joined Rev. 20. 4. in the first resurrection being then made Priests of God and of Christ. Rev. 20. 6. When also Christ himself is said in a more special manner to be admitted to and possessed of his Kindom i. e. after his enemies destroyed in respect of his members See Rev. 19. 6. -11. 17. -15. 4. Dan. 7. 13 14 17. And is yet again to be advanced higher in it after the day of judgment and death destroyed For that giving up the kingdom to the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. and God being all in all vers 28. is not an annulling except for the manner of it only but perfecting of our Saviors kingdom And all this is done before the last general resurrection of bodies set down Rev. 20. 12. Now this first Resurrection is either to be restrained to the Martyrs under the two great persecutions storied the first Rev. 6. chap. the 2d Rev. 13. chap. as first fruits and those who are come out of great tribulation Rev. 7. 14. -14. 4. and to some others perhaps of extraordinary sanctity whose other zealous service for God hath equalled the Martyrs sufferings who shall have some extraordinary priviledge beyond the rest either in a proper former resurrection of their bodies upon the destruction of the Beast as the general resurrection follows that of Satan Which will not seem so great a Paradox after one hath well considered that such a resurrection of bodies not of a few but many old Testament Saints hath already been accomplished namely at our Saviors resurrection see Matt. 27. 52 53. who accompanied him ascending as the first fruits of the Resurrection of the rest by the same Christ to come Nor will it be a stranger thing then for some before others to enjoy in their bodies celestial bliss then now it is that Enoch and Elias do so Or in a Metaphorical one of the soul Martyres fruuntur ut loquuntur veteres praerogativa resurrectionis sunt jam nunc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut alii futuri sunt post universalem resurrectionem Grotius Annot. Cassand Art 21. which as it is capable of the expression of a resurrection to grace Jo. 5. 25. Col. 3. 1. according to that of the Schools Mors animae separatio à Deo So perhaps it may be said to have one and as it were a new life when it is advanced to a far greater glory according as Hereticks that held no other resurrection applied this term only to it 2 Tim. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 12. whilst the souls of the wicked that still lie in prison till the great day are said not to live again till the day of judgment and then to be condemned to a second death See Matt. 10. 28. and the souls of other faithful only to be at rest See 1 Cor. 5. 5. Or if the first resurrection be thus understood namely of souls to greater glory then may it be applied not only to the Martyrs who are named by St. John living in times of persecution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but to the spirits of all the Saints that are deceased before our Saviors 1000 years reign Especially if we consider first that St. John names such infinite numbers of them of all nations c. Rev. 7. 9. 2. The marriage of the Lamb which likely excludes no Saints mentioned at this time Rev. 19. 9. 3. The same reward of reigning security of not being hurt by the second death c. Rev. 2. 11 26 27. promised not only to the Martyrs but all repenting and doing good works tho I allow them to the first in a far higher measure Rev. 2. and 3. chap. 4. Because he no where makes mention of other Saints not having the same priviledges but of other dead Where his saying that blessed and holy are they that have part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power seems to imply that the second death should have power over all the formerly deceased that had not part in it See Rev. 2. 11. And thus much of our being admitted first in soul then also in body by Christ to the same honor with him of Priesthood and vision and attendance on God in the holyest of all Blessed be such love to sinners for evermore For what joy do we imagine would an Israelite have had to have been introduced within the veil and to have beheld the glory between the Cherubims which yet the High Priest might then see only thro a cloud of incense How passionately did enamoured Moses beg for one sight of Gods face which only the Gospel admits us to and was suffered only to see his back and Elias on the Mount of God after 40 daies fast admitted only to hear his voice But we all by this High Priest are advanced in due time even to see face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. And this it is that holy David inflam'd and melted with Divine love every where so much longs and sighs for to dwell in Gods house for ever to behold his beauty in his Temple i. e. to live for ever in his presence for as a Prince makes the Court so Gods presence makes a Temple See Ps. 23. 6. -84. 1. c. How amiable My soul thirsteth Blessed are they that dwell A day in thy Courts Ps. 42. 1. c. As the Hart panteth And so his chief praier to God not to turn away his face to cause his face to shine to lift up the light of his countenance upon him never to be enjoyed but in his holy place into which this our great High Priest first conducted him The greatness of which Divine bliss of his and of all Saints we may measure but how infinitely doth the other exceed it by the joy we should take in the possession of some earthly thing with which we are desperately in love and by the mourning we make for the loss i. e. in the absence of it when despaired So the soul as soon as it hath once cast its
life knowledge power to the gift and Communication and all he doth to the command and appointment and exemplar of the Father Himself to live by him to have life in himself as the Father hath but from his gift to be sent by him not only the man Christ Jesus to be sent to us in the flesh and human nature but the second Person in the Trinity then the only begotten Son of God the Father see 1 Jo. 4. 9. comp Jo. 3. 13 17. Jo. 6. 38 39. -17. 5. Heb. 1. 2 3. to be first also sent into the flesh and to take human nature upon him for he that was sent descended from Heaven and was made flesh see 1 Jo. 4. 2. Jo. 16. 28. Heb. 2. 14 16. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Jo. 6. 38. Again to judge do as he hears from him as he is taught by him Jo. 8. 28. as he hath seen him do the works he shews him operating as it were after his pattern see Jo. 5. 6. 7. 8. chapters Jo. 14. 28. -17. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 27. Jo. 10. 18. -5. 30. -8. 15. -10. 32. Matt. 20. 23. Many of which places if not all cannot be understood of his human nature Neither are these expressions incongruent to the second person of the Trinity since the like are granted to be used of the third the Holy Ghost See Jo. 15. 26. -16. 13 14 15. 2. But secondly which is more to our purpose in the mystery of the Incarnation here God the Father only represents the whole Deity in its Glory and Majesty and God the Son then divested stripped and emptied Himself of that form of God in which he was and in respect of the use and exercise of it further then as the Father pleased to dispense it unto him of all the Majesty and power of his Divinity In which thing our blessed Lord was fore-typified by Sampson for thus was he for the love of an Harlot we were no better willing to part with and to lay aside all his strength to be bound by his own Nation and delivered up to his enemies Judg. 15. 11. to be blinded and made sport with and to be put to death but by his death as Sampson destroying his enemies and getting the victory See Judg. 16. Thus he became in fashion only as a man Luk. 12. 50. undertaking all the imperfections that are without sin of human nature such as others have and receiving all the perfections of it from the gift of God the Father so as others do c. Suffering the imperfection and infirmities not only of the body but those innocent ones of the Soul too and these not only in the sensitive and appetitive faculties as fear sorrow Mark 14. 34. horror of death c. In so much that he was capable of being strengthened by one of those Angels whom he had made Luk. 22. 43. not to name that treating with him by Ambassadors from Heaven Luk. 9. 31. one from the law and another from the Prophets about his sufferings Besides those natural inclinations and velleities if I may so say that appeared in him of the lower faculties solliciting for things convenient to them tho alwaies ordered by reason and the Spirit to conformity with the will of God see Jo. 6. 38. Rom. 15. 3. Matt. 26. 39. Where we discover natural propensions diverse from those of the Spirit tho these proposing their own desires not opposing the others resolves But some think in the Intellectual part also either 1. The absence of some knowledge supernatural to man non debitoe inesse for some time by the suspension of the light of his Divinity from it as it is clear the Beatifical vision was suspended from it in the time of his sad and dolorous passion Which knowledg increased in him according to the dispensation of the Father See Luk. 1. 80. -2. 52. where Christ is said to increase in wisdom and spirit c. not in appearance only but with God as well as men see Mark. 13. 32. comp with Rev. 1. 1. and this with Rev. 5. 5 6. c. where the Lamb is said to be worthy to c. to have prevailed to open the book Of all future events and to look thereon c. and v. 12. To receive wisdom this being signified vers 6. by the 7 eyes as power by the 7 horns for that he was slain c. and Mark 6. 6. Matt. 8. 10. where he is said to wonder as if some thing happened unexpected Or 2. The absence of that experimental knowledg which he afterward acquired by sufferings see Heb. 5. 8. -2. 17 18. Or 3. at least see Jo. 16. 30. -21. 17. some restraint of the effects and external manifestations of his knowledge till the time the Father had appointed for them to be opened See Act. 17. comp with Rev. 1. 1. and Mark. 13. 32. Matt. 20. 23. Therefore he is said in his youth to have heard the Doctors of the Law and conferred with them tho by this doubtless he learned not from but imparted wisdom to them Luk. 2. 46 47. Nor did he offer to teach till the age allowed for Doctors to profess And not then till after he had as it were prepared himself for it in six Weeks solitude silence watching fasting prayer For he who prayed whole nights when all the day wearied with emploiments certainly omitted it not in that long vacation And so for the external operations of the Spirit it self tho he was by the Holy Ghost conceived and had it not stinted and given by measure as others Jo. 3. 34. Col. 1. 19. who yet are said also to be filled with the Holy Ghost as the blessed Virgin and St Stephen and some even from the womb as St John Baptist. See Luk. 1. 15. Act. 7. 55. yet the more publick functions of it were restrained till at 30 years of age that he was baptized that it at the solemnity visibly descended on him and then he began in the strength of it to preach do Miracles c. Luk. 4. 1. Jo. 2. 11. -4. 54. And so his power tho alwaies as God equal to the Fathers Jo. 3. 35. yet for the actual exercise and execution of it as man successively given him according to the fore-appointments of the Father In which respect he saith more emphatically and with signification of some enlargement of it I mean as Man All power is given me c. Matt. 28. 28. Jo. 5. 20. Jo. 14. 12. -17. 12. -16. 7. Matt. 11. 25. Eph. 4. 10. Rev. 1. 18. And it shall be yet more fully said by him at his second coming till when his fulness and his Kingdom in respect of his members is not prefected See 1 Cor. 15. 28. Eph. 1. 23. 2. Again receiving all perfections of this human nature not from the donation of the Word the second person united to it but from the Donation of the Father For tho as 't is shewed before he hath all dependence on the
natural they yet live in like manner as from the first Adam they were heirs of death eternal See the parallel between them for life and death 1 Cor. 15. 20. and 45. c. as for sin and righteousness Rom. 5. And this life in its due time is to be communicated to all the members of Christ 1. both because the head and members have all the same spirit i. e. of the Father which therefore if it have raised one must needs also raise the other As we see in the living Creatures and the wheels Ezech. 2. 21. when those went these went and when those stood these stood for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels Or as we may imagine a man of those large Dimensions that his head were in Heaven and his feet on Earth and such is Christ and the Church Col. 2. 19. and both called by one name of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. how easily and instantly such a one by the animal spirits communicated from the Head would move here below which way he pleased his inferior members See Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 14. Therefore those priviledges which the Apostle applies to Christ Heb. 2. 6. the Psalmist saith of man in general Ps. 8. And again 't is argued negatively from us to Christ If no resurrection of us then is not Christ risen neither 1 Cor. 15. 13. If not possible for the spirit to raise our human nature then not his And 2. because the head as Christ is to the Church naturally gives the sense and motion to the members Therefore as 't is said that the head and members are both raised by the same spirit so also that the Head shall raise and quicken the members See Jo. 6. 39. 1 Cor. 15. 45. 2 Cor. 4. 14. I speak of resurrection to life Else the wicked also shall be raised by him by his voice Jo. 5. 21. as their Judge to be thrown into endless torments which is but a Gaol-delivery and an haling them out of prison to execution an act of his power as God not of his merits as a Savior by their having any union to him as the second Adam And the proper Sacrament instituted to conveigh this life unto us by union with Jesus is the Eucharist being the Communion or Communication unto us of all himself first of his body and blood 1 Cor. 10. 16. by which we are made not in a Metaphor but in a Mystery and that a great one members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5. 30 32. And 2. not only of his body but of his spirit too 1 Cor. 12. 13. by which soveraign receit and incorporating of him who hath life in himself our bodies also and souls are according to the ancient form of the Church in the administration of these mysteries preserved unto everlasting life a promise by our Savior annexed so often to this mystical partaking of him Jo. 6. 56 57. c. therefore the consecrated elements called Symbola resurrectionis and formerly never neglected especially to be received at the hour of death For 't is to be noted that tho both the Sacraments have all the same effects Remission of sins Matt. 26. 28. comp with Act. 2. 38. Union 1 Cor. 10. 16. comp with Gal. 3. 27 28. all one in Christ Jesus And Joh. 3. 5. comp with 1 Cor. 12. 13. And both Sacraments do intimate obligation to suffering to the receivers see Matt. 20. 22 23. where allusion doubtless is made to the two Sacraments as 1 Cor. 12. 13. Tho our baptism is not with blood as his nor our cup so bitter yet either of them have some more eminently then others Therefore Baptism to which we have more easy access upon repentance Act. 2. 38. and faith of the truth of the Gospel Act. 8. 37. and the promise onely of a new life Matt. 3. 6 8. is more principally the Sacrament of remission of former sins Act. 2. 38. and of our profession of our death to sin and relinquishing the old Adam and now putting on Christ. And then after this cleansing from sins past by baptism the Eucharist to which we are to bring not only faith and repentance but sanctification and holiness therefore such examination required see Matt. 22. 12. see 1 Cor. 11. 28. the end of 27. and 29. comp with 1 Cor. 6. 15. converted shall I then take the members of an â—…arlot and make them the members of Christ 1 Cor. 5. 11. converted No formcators presume to eat c. with the Saints is more specially the Sacrament of our union to Christ and living by him who is the life by the incorporating of his body and blood and spirit into ours 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. By which incorporation we contract such an identity as it were with him that see what he is we are Is he a Son of God so are we His heir So are we Rom. 8. 17. of the Kingdom the Glory to come only all this by and from him that in all things he might have the preeminence and amongst many breâ—…hren be the first born But we must know that as all these effects of our Savior toward us depend on a second generation and being born again of God by the seed of the spirit Jo. 3. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Eph. 2. 22. -3. 16. which giveth life as the flesh from the first Adam soweth corruption see Gal. 6. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Rom. 8. 11. Jo. 4. 14. Eph. 4. 22. and on our thus being made the true children and ofspring of Christ Heb. 2. 13. Esaâ—… 53. 10 11. So that this our second birth is not compleated all at once but this image of Christ by little and little at last is perfectly formed in us See Gal. 4. 19. 2 Cor. 11. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 2. As also all other works of our Savior are not consummate till his second coming and the resurrection Else did we walk by sight and not by faith how should we be transported with joy upon a vision of that infinite glory and nobility the poor Sons of Adam receive from this their second father to whom be all glory for ever And how should we sigh and groan till we were once possessed of it See 2 Cor. 5. 2 4. and Rom. 8. 23. To consider therefore a little the manner and the progress of our regeneration here in this life Our Savior as soon as he had died to sin as a son of Adam and lived again as a Son to God Rom. 6. 10. presently received this spirit by which he begets us promised long before and therefore frequently called the promise from the Father to communicate to his posterity see Luk. 24. 49. Act. 1. 4. -2. 33. Eph. 4. 10. Jo. 7. 39. by which spirit derived from him to us thro whom we receive all things that we receive from God as it was from his Father to him and therefore called also his spirit of Christ
a Fountain springing up and a sowing to everlasting life a progress from glory to glory see Rom. 8. 23. Heb. 6. 4 5. 2 Cor. 1. 22. -5. 5. â—…o 4. 14. Gal. 6. 8. Eph. 1. 13 14. According to which those prophecies of the effusions of the spirit which are fulfilled in part upon our Saviors first coming yet seem not to have their full accomplishment till his second appearing which in those texts is joyned with the first See Act. 2. 17 18. comp 19 20. Joel 2. 28. c. comp Joel 3. 2. c. Mal. 3. 1. c. comp Mal. 4. 1 5. Esai 40. 3 5 10. And the plentiful flowing of those waters of life our Saviors ordinary Metaphor in St Johns Gospel for the Spirit which shall be from the Temple or the Throne of God and the Lamb mentioned Rev. 22. 1. -21. 6. Ezec. 47. 1 3. c. Joel 3. 18. Ezec. 13. 1. -14. 8. Ps. 36. 8 9. for all these prophecies wonderfully accord and speak of the state of the new world yet to come expressing heavenly things by earthly and the truths of the Gospel veil'd under the Ceremonies of the law must needs be understood of the fuller Communications of the holy spirit yet to come Blessed be God for his unspeakable gift The next operation of this spirit is upon our body but upon this as upon our Saviors not till the blessed Resurrection when we shall begin to bear the image of the heavenly Adam as we now bear the image of the earthly 1 Cor. 15. 49. and this vile body shall be changed and made like to his glorious body like it I mean not as it appeared after his rising again to his Disciples with a wound to thrust ones hand in eating and drinking c. where to shew the truth of his resurrection that it was the same body that was crucified he was glad to veil the glory of it But as it appeared to St. Paul in the way to Damascus which glory struck him blind Act. 9. 3. comp Act. 22. 14. or as to St. Stephen the reflection of which made his face to shine as an Angels or as Moses's in the Mount or to his Disciples Matt. 17. 2. at his transfiguration where God to qualifie the sad relation of his sufferings gave them an anticipated sight of that glory which in the apparitions after his Resurrection was necessary to be eclipsed upon which moment of Beatifick vision his transported Disciples quite forgetting all former relations to the world would gladly have set up there their perpetual abode Or as it appeared to St. John Rev. 1. 13 17. at the sight of whose Majesty that beloved Disciple fell at his Masters feet as dead c. And after our body is thus made glorious as his in the resurrection it shall also have an ascension just like his Our bodies caught up in the Clouds c. 1 Thess. 4. 17. as his was Act. 1. 9. And when this perfection is produced in the body as well as the soul then it is that we are properly called the Sons and children of God being the children of the resurrection Luk. 20. 36. as is also noted of our Savior And as the Angels from their spirituality like God are called his Sons Job 1. 6. So is at that time said to be our adoption Rom. 8. 23. The regeneration the restitution to the state before sin the manifestation of the Sons of God see Matt. 19. 28. Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19. comp with 1. 4. Rev. 21. 7. and mean while our life said to be in Christ to be hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 4. 1 Jo. 5. 11. For this state was such a longing of the Apostle to attain once the resurrection such a waiting of the Saints for the coming of the Lord such a groaning and being burdened in this earthly Tabernacle not to be shut of it and have none but to be clothed upon it with another house from Heaven see Phil. 3. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. Rom. 8. 23. The same individual this shall be which our Savior kept his wounds to shew and perhaps will do for the honorable marks of his sufferings see Rev. 1. 7. Rev. 5. 6. he appearing in glory with them but by the operation of the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. strangely changed For we sow not in the grave that body that shall be 1 Cor. 15. 37. no more saith St. Paul then the seed we sow in the field is the flower or plant that comes of it who can guess at the beautiful colors of a Tulip by looking on its seed therefore the Apostle speaks of the body raised as a superstructure upon this 2 Cor. 5. 4. as the seed is clothed upon by the flower or the tree sown then in shame it shall come up glorious weak come up in power natural come up spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 42. For there are bodies spiritual and we know not but the Angels are such so spiritual as that there shall be no more belly at least as for meats nor no more meats for it 1 Cor. 6. 13. As Moses and Elias here for the 40 daies they enjoyed Gods presence needed no food There shall be no flesh nor blood 1 Cor. 15. 50. No heaviness 1 Thess. 4. 17. nor grosness Luk. 24. 31. Jo. 20. 19. and so no sensual pleasure suiting to corruptible substances of which for the most part some foregoing pain is the parent Luk. 20. 36. what then shall we be like Angels nay like the Son of God the second Adam our Father like him when he shall appear in his greatest glory 1 Jo. 3. 2. but what this likeness shall be we know not yet nor how far the spirit shall be united to us in similitude of that unity which Christs human nature now hath with the deity but as in some kind we are now partakers so much more then shall we be of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. nay filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3. 19. Glorious in body Esai 13. 12. and enriched with all knowledg wisdom holiness joy security in soul after the similitude of that wisdom and holiness and glory which Christs humanity hath received from the Deity some beams of that Sun being united to us the body of which dwells in him Col. 2. 9. Jo. 17. 21 23. To whom be all preeminence and glory for ever by all the partakers of his glory O foelix culpa said one quoe talem meruit habere redemptionem Ad aliquid majus humana natura perducta est per peccatum And God permitted that great evil of mans fall to raise him to a far greater honor finishing all his works in goodness and mercy Meanwhile as not we so neither is our Savior compleat every way before our resurrection being without us a Head glorified without its body Therefore is the Church called His fulness Eph. 1.
again forerunner according to the opinion of antiquity of the souls too entring into the heavenly Sanctuary in respect of the spirits not only of all Saints dying since him of this no question but of all those that deceased before him from the beginning the very first into this Sanctuary as none ever entred for the cause but by and in relation to him so none for the time beâ—…ore him which opinion seems to be strengthned from thâ—… expressions of our Savior concerning Lazarus That He i. e. his soul. as Luk. 21. 43. this day shalt thou i. e. thy soul was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosom as being Father of the faithful a place of bliss doubtless being opposed to the other's place of torment wherein Lazarus received consolations but now we are said to be gathered unto Christ after this life we and Abraham and all into Christs bosom ours and Abrahams Father See 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. Phil. 1. 23. Act. 7. 59. Eph. 1. 10. Again as 't is said in general Heb. 9. 8. That the way into the holiest was not made manifest under the old Testament so in particular of the Saints of it that they received not the promises before us Which may be interpreted not only of the promises of the Messias but also of those obtained thro him spoken of vers 13 14 16. that they without us were not made perfect Heb. 11. 40. and perhaps in respect of this is the same term used Heb. 12. 23. of the spirits of just men now made perfect i. e. admitted into the Holiest by and with our Savior according to the hymn having overcome death thou openedst the kingdom of heaven to all Therefore none of tâ—…e old Testament Celestial visions have any representation of any Church there none of the new are without it See Rev. 4. 4. Heb. 12. 22 23. where setting down the Court of Heaven he numbers the spirits of just men and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probably the same with those primitiae Rev. 14. 4. To this purpose some apply Zech. 9. 11 12. comp 9. Jo. 14. 3. Matt. 25. 6 10. Into which notwithstanding the good tidings this Joshuah hath told us of it many fail to enter in partly thro unbelief of the glory and riches of that place beyond this Egypt or Wilderness like those Numb 14. chap. longing and lusting after denyed Onyons and Garlick whilst they are fed with Manna and partly thro cowardliness of not fighting their carnal lusts and withstanding the pleasures of this present life the enemies and Gyants which hinder them from possessing this Holy land which notwithstanding this Joshua and his faithful Souldiers have in many battails discomfited before them But seeing there remaineth a rest Heb. 4. 9. and seeing we have a great High Priest tâ—…at is passed c. v. 14. let us lay aside every weight and run with patience c. looking unto Jesus c. who is set down there Heb. 12. 1 2. that at the last we may be made partakers of of Christ. Heb. 3. 14. Thus much of our Saviors officiating in this perpetual Office of Priest above But 1. As God also still retains Sanctuaries on Earth there are certain persons substituted by him in the same sacred office to do that in these earthly which their Master doth in the Heavenly Church 1. By whom first the sacrifice of his body and blood is presented here unto God for a remembrance of him unto the Father in the consecrated elements for all the same purposes for which it is presented by our great High Priest there i. e. for all the purposes for which he offered it first on the Cross. See Mal. 1. 11. Gal. 3. 1. Itaque veteres in hoc mystico sacrificio non tam per actae semel in cruce oblationis cujus hic memoria celebratur quam perpetui sacerdotii jugis sacrificii ad quotidie in coelis sempiternus sacerdos offert rationem habuerunt cujus hic imago per solennes Ministrorum preces exprimitur Cassand p. 169. 2. By whom is Intercession made both by presenting their own praiers for the people and also the peoples prayers to God thro Christ. For God accepteth no praiers but thro Christ nor yet all those that are made in Christs name except either they come from persons deputed by him who is so dearly loved to which persons God hath made extraordinary promises as those I conceive are Matt. 18. 18 19. Jo. 16. 23. c. or from those that are holy and like unto him For sinners God heareth not till reformed The emploiment of the Saints in heaven as we have any notice of it is praier and praises For first since the spirits of Saints departed hence are in paradise Luk. 23. 43. and with Christ Phil. 1. 23. are now said to be made perfect Heb. 12. 23. and clothed with white garments Rev. 6. 11. that is advances in charity and purity greater then here are described in Priests habits having in their hands vials of incense doubtless to offer it which is interpreted by St. John to be praiers of the Saints Rev. 5. 8 -8. 3. have a zeal to Gods glory in mens salvation beyond ours or their own whilst on earth and more charity which grace is not decayed by death but perfected 1 Cor. 13. 8. 2. Since their interpellations there can prejudice our Saviors no more then the Priests intercessions here 1 Tim. 2. 1. and if any ask what needs theirs we may as justly reply what need these nay what need any praiers at all see Matt. 6. 8. Tho little concerning this their interpellation is revealed and those Christians who have implored it seeming to have grounds partly on Miracles pretended to be done by them But probably true ones done and that frequently at their memorials See Austin Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. and partly on pretended apparitions of them after deceased yet in general it seems piously credible that as Christs members on earth now suffer as he did on earth so his members in heaven intercede for these sufferers at least in general as he doth there and echo unto the King of Heaven the words of their Master as the Angels do to the Church Rev. 5. 12. comp with 9. Rev. 7. 11 12. comp with 9 10. And that petition Rev. 6. 10. I cannot imagine so circumscribed to themselves that it did not represent to God also the sad condition of their Brethren on earth mentioned vers 11. See Rev. 5. 9. where the Presbyters give praise for the salvation of others as well as of themselves for those of every tongue kindred people and Nation See Rev. 11. 17 18. Thus much of our Saviors officiating in the heavenly Sanctuary and his Ministers here Now this discourse as the former must be concluded with the communicating of this honour also unto us who look whatever he is that we also shall be for we shall be like him 1 Jo. 3. 2.
all knowledg of the various wisdom of God and mysteries of his works but being successively in the due time increaâ—…ed in it according to the dispensation of the Almighty see Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. continually receive their greater illumination and perfection of knowledg he being the eternal wisdom of God and light of the whole world Of whom he is head also as he is of the Church therefore called the elect Angels as men 1 Tim. 5. 21. from whom 't is conceived for doubtless they are conserved by and in all things depend on him by whom they were created they possess their present confirmative grace and illuminations Rev. 19. 10. and shall hereafter receive at the end of the world a greater glory see Eph. 1. 10. Col. 2. 10. -1. 20. As over the Church so over the adversaries of it Luk. 19. 27. Rev. 19. 15. -1. 7. 2 Thess. 1 7 8. As over Christian so over Heathen Kingdoms governing them also with his providence and by his Angels Dan. 10. 13 20. Dan. 11. 1. As over bodies so over souls and consciences to know convince to send torment and self-condemnation into them Rom. 2. 16. 1 Cor. 4. 5. -14. 24. 2 Cor. 10. 2 3. c. Act. 5. 5. -2. 37. -24. 25. Jo. 16. 8. Tit. 3. 11. having power over the laws what shall oblige them what not Annulling the former Ceremonials of Moses Lord of the Sabbath c. Col. 2. 8 9 17 21. Act. 15 10. Gal. 5. 1. -4. 3. Eph. 2. 14. Power to remit and to retain sins with the key of David opening and shutting as he pleasetâ—… Joh. 5. 22. Act. 10. 42. Act. 17. 31. Power as over the living so over the dead the Author of the raising again of their bodies 1 Cor. 15. 45. Jo. 5. 28. all that are in the grave shall hear his voice c. and the disposer of eternal life or torments to whom he pleaseth Jo. 6. 54. -10. 28. Phil. 3. 21. The final Judge and this as man Act. 17. 31. Rev. 1. 7. Jo. 5. 22. Act. 10. 42. before whose tribunal all must appear 2 Cor. 5. 10. judging most righteously being the wisdom of the Father the word the truth Most throughly and those things especially which escape all former judgments of men the secrets of men Rom. 2. 16. the counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4. 5. See what a word it is that we have to do with in that day described Heb. 4. 12 13. Very accurate and punctual in weighing the several worths of every mans works and putting fire to those that are drossy even of those whom he saves See 1 Cor. 3. 13 15. Gal. 6. 4 5. Judging not only men but Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. and these not only the evil to pass their sentence and deliver them up to torments Matt. 8. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 4. but probably the good also for their reward non disquisitione meritorum sed retributione praemiorum for tho from the beginning of the world they both in respect of their own demenor in themselves have had their sentence and the one then confirm'd in grace and goodness the other having left to them no regress from evil yet in quantum actibus hominum communicati ratione eorum quae circa homines operantur as the Schools the one sort here not doing more necessarily good then the other evil nor the other more rejoycing in our straying from God then the other in our Conversion Luk. 15. 10. which argues the diligence of the one for our salvation as of the other for our destruction Therefore I say if these have not all their punishment already but shall suffer also for deceiving men Rev. 20. 10. and who knows whether this likewise in a just proportion why should we imagine the other to have all their advancement Especially since they are not yet freed from many charges and imployments about persons in dignity much inferior unto them and the perfection of blessedness seems to consist in rest and the end of motion which alwaies tends to something yet desired not attained But occulta Domino Deo nostro Meanwhile how terrible this to those who tread the blood of the Covenant under foot to have their violated enemy their Judge 2 Cor. 5. 11 How comfortable this to those who obâ—…y him to have their Brother to have Power as over men so much more over all the other Creatures Seas Winds and Heaven and Earth who as he made the old so hereafter shall make a new world ending with a Creation of it as he began by the same power by which here He to our astonishment or another in his name i. e. by his power Act. 3. 16. did create or repair an eye or leg or some small piece thereof He being the grand Liberator of the whole world at last as well as of the Sons of God Rom. 8. 21. and Heaven and Earth being in his power as well as all the power therein given him See Heb. 5. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. That we may know that there is nothing nor present nor to come nor high nor low from which he cannot defend us out of which he cannot deliver us Rom. 8. 38 39. and over which we also are not rulers and conquerors thro him that being flesh of our flesh loveth us v. 37. But amongst all these over whom he hath power yet his care is now more special toward the Church his body Eph. 1. 21. Heb. 3. 6. sending abroad Teachers Eph. 4. 7 11. c. distributing to several several gifts of the spirit Phil. 4. 13. communicating a great part of his power to them whatever they ask doing it for them c. helping them in miseries afflictions tho not as yet keeping these from them delivering them from the mastery tho not as yet from the assaults of their enemies For tho all power every where is given him and when any is executed t is executed by him and no part almost of this his universal power but hath in a specimen for an essay and testimony of it been executed by Him already even to that highest one of raising the Dead by him and by others also by his power yet this power was not received to be in every part executed all at once but according to the dispensation of the times appointed by the Father who gave him this power See Heb. 2. 8 9. 1 Cor. 15. 23. c. Matt. 20. 23. He governing all according to his Fathers will whose will yet is the same with his own Therefore is he in respect of some acts of his power described sitting down at Gods right hand and resting and expecting Heb. 10. 13. till the time comes of doing every thing in that order that the Prophets have foretold it i. e. that the Father hath fore-ordained it Act. 3. 21. who hath put the times and seasons of every thing in
general i. e. in respect of all persons and of all Covenants made with and promises made to them but only to those times in respect of the covenant of works which then by the errour of many of the Jews the children of works was generally more looked after then the Covenant of faith which had then but few followers see Rom. 9. 31 32. when also the one Covenant was more largely and legibly drawn in great Characters the other put forth more obscure and in a lesser Print and a veil drawn over it 2 Cor. 3. 14. till the fulness of time was come Therefore also the former times had the denomination of the times of the law the latter of the Gospel And again in respect of the literal promise under the law of felicity in the earthly Canaan Therefore where the Apostle saith established on better promises understand there those typical ones of earthly Canaan made to Israel at the promulgation of the law Or opposed to those times in general but this only first in respect of the diverse administrations of the former times with many troublesome ceremonials and types to be afterward abolished and of the degrees of the greater manifestations in the latter times of the way of salvation being void of shadows types and figures all these now being brought to perfection and accomplishment in the incarnation of the Son effusions of the Spirit enlargement of the Church promulgation of an Heavenly country instead of an Earthly Canaan and from these greater manifestations many more of the children of works becoming now the children of faith And from its stronger beams as well those illuminated who before sate in darkness Luk. 1. 79. and midnight as this light increased to those who had before some dawnings thereof And secondly in respect of the accomplishment of those promises to the faithful of the former ages which are made thro Christ spoken of Heb. 11. 13 14 16. In which they could not be compleated and perfected before the times of the Gospel neither in respect of the body they waiting for the restorement of that till those of the Gospel are glorified with them nor according to the reverend opinion of Antiquity in respect of the soul they not having the kingdom of heaven laid fully opened unto them till our Saviour was first entred in thither See Eph. 1. 10. Col. 1. 20. Heb. 11. 39 40. -12. 23. For indeed the performance and perfection of the mystery of mans redemtion was a thing only received in the last daies And tho the virtue of Christs incarnation is communicated alwaies to all men yet not the latter times on the former but the former depend on the latter for the substance and ground of their hope and salvation Jesus Christ come in the flesh These having the body of which body coming toward them the other had the shadow Col. 2. 17. And in these respects the times of the Gospel are said to have so much advantage of those of the law we seeing in a clear glass Gods glory they thro a thick veil we 2 Cor. 3. 13. standing in a clear whereas the best of them in a dim light and the most of them in utter darkness See Matt. 13. 17. -11. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 10. c. 2 Cor. 3. 7. c. Here note that the oppositions of the times that are used in the other heads preceding in which I follow only the phrase of the Holy Scriptures are by these limitations so to be interpreted as that they no way contradict the doctrine of this last chapter FINIS §. 1. Jâ—…sus Christ the truth in the fulness of time Sent. § 2. § 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. §. 4. § 5. Anointed §. 6. A new Law-giver for the law moral 1. Expounding it 2. Requiring stricter obedience 3. Denouncing heavier judgments §. 7. Ministring the spirit § 8. Abrogating the letter § 9. For the law ceremonial Cancelling it § 10. 2 An Apostle of the Gospel §. 11. Preaching it §. 12. Remitting sins giving the Holy Ghost admitting into the kingdom of Heaven §. 13. Before his departure ordaining others §. 14. Transferring his authority to them §. 15. § 16. §. 17. Assisting them from Heaven §. 18. §. 19. Those ordaining others to the end of the world §. 20. He assisting their Successors for ever §. 21. The Apostles also delegating to them the authority received from Him §. 22. The truth of our Saviours doctrines c. attested by 1. Scripture 2 Spirâ—…t 3. Miracles 4. Death §. 23. And a resurrection The way § 1. Christ an Example 1 In doing the work In all obedience to Gods commandements Moral §. 2. Ceremonial § 3. 2 In all sufferings for righteousness sake §. 4. 2 In receiving the reward §. 1. Christ Mediator of the new Covenant §. 2. Enlarged Established 〈◊〉 â—…tter promises §. 4. § 5. The blood of this â—…ovenant §. 6. The Death ratifying this Testament § 7. Performance of tâ—…e promiâ—…es put into his hands revived §. 1. Christ the Sacrifice §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. §. â—… 〈◊〉 1 Sin-offering for remission of guilt §. 6. 2 For puriâ—…ing uncleannesses §. 7. 3 Holocavst §. 8. 4 Eucharistical Peace or thank-offering §. 9. §. 9. §. 10. By eating of which we have Communion 1. with God 2 With his Son and all that is his §. 11. 3 With the Saints and all that is theirs §. 12. And are preserved in both soul and body unto life eternal §. 13. 4 The â—…over § 1. 5. Mans debt to and bondage under 1 Sin §. 2. 2 The law §. 3. 3 Death § 4. 4 Satan 1 As the executioner of Gods justice 2 As Prince of this world §. 5. §. 6. Christ our Redeemer 1 By paying a ransom freeing us from debt §. 7. 2 By making a Conquest freeâ—… us from slavery §. 8. Our Redemption not yet fully perfected §. 9. And why §. 10. How much already performed 1 In respect of sin §. 11. 2 Of the law §. 12. Of Death §. 13. Of Satan § 〈◊〉 §. 1. Christ the second Adam Dependent 〈◊〉 God the Father Before his Incarnation §. 2. Much more after it §. 3. Assuming the infirmities of human nature § 4. Receiving the perfections of it from God his Father §. 5. §. 6. §. 7. A Covenant made with the second Adam as with the first involuving his seed §. 8. He fulfils it By walkâ—… 〈◊〉 a quite contrary way to the first §. 9. §. 10. Receives the reâ—…ard For himself For â—…is sâ—…d 1 The Spirit 2 Life §. 11. His particular benefits 1 As our â—…ead communicates absolution from sin by his death for it § 12. Baptism incorporating us into his death The Sacrament of pardon §. 13. 2 As our â—…ead communicates righteousness or life spiritual by his Resurrection 1 〈◊〉 us to perform 〈◊〉 2 Compleating our imperfect righteousness 3 As our head communicates glory or life eternal in our resurrection §. 14. 1 Effected by the same spirit
powerful in working according to the promise Jo. 14. 20. after his departure 2. Of the manner of their conveyance which will much advance our confidence if we consider our near relation For we receive them not by his procurement only from the Father but even from his own hand Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father c. Jam. 1. 17. but thro and by immediate donation of the Son and by the same way as all our praiers and sacrifices ascend and enter in blessings come forth of this Sanctâ—…ary Upon his asking all things are given him Psal. 2. 8. whom the Father alwaies hears and at his own pleasure he dispenseth them Act. 2. 33. â—…ph 1. 3. And this the having in his own power the gift of all things from whose hands we may be sure we shall want nothing belongs peculiarly to the tenure of his Priesthood being Melchisedechial and joyned with Kingship Sacerdotium Regale or Sacerdotale regnum i. e. having royalty and power joyned with it as before the law these two were joyned in the Princes of families so after the law they are united in Christ a King over all but Him whom as a Priest he serves Therefore we find him sitting at the right hand and the promise of having his enemies made his footstool so frequently joined with his Priesthood and intercession for to shew the everlasting power of his Priesthood See Heb. 8. 1. Rom. 8. 34. Ps. 110. 1. comp with 4. Act. 2. 33. Ps. 2. 8. Therefore since he ever liveth to make intercession he is able to save saith the Apostle not willing only Heb. 7. 25. Able to succour Heb. 2. 18. see Jo. 17. 2 24. Father I will that c. Jo. 14. 13 14. If ye shall ask any think in my name his asking or our asking in his name is all to one effect as is shewed before I will do it where he shews both his dependance on his Father as a Priest and power over all things else as a King Besides this officiating as an Intercessor in Heaven as a Sanctuary as he is High Priest wherein he is compared to Aaron Our Savior by the same Apostle in his treatise of his Priesthood is called the Captain of our Salvation bringing many sons of God unto glory Heb. 2. 10. Lord of the houshold of God and conducter of them into a promised place of rest and forerunner entred before them into Heaven as it is the land of promise and this as he is a regal High Priest wherein he is compared to Moses and Joshua his successor conducters of Israel towards Canaan See Heb. 2. 10. -3. 1 2 6. -4. 8 9 14. -6. 20. comp with Heb. 12. 1 2 18 22 25. -11. 14 16. We being in this world after our deliverance from Egypt the dominion of Satan and sin and passing thro the Red Sea of Baptism 1 Cor. 10. 2. yet as in the Wilderness a dry and thirsty land where no water is as the Psalmist spiritually complains of it see Psal. 63. 1. -39. 12. -119. 19. whoever take it for any thing else much mistake it now under Christ I speak of him according to his manhood our Conductor as they were under Moses and Joshua and all things that were done there were examples 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. First therefore as Moses when the mount of God burnt with fire nothing but blackness and darkness and tempest nothing but wrath and judgment towards us and fear least the fire of the Lord should break forth upon us having all sinned as Israel had and none durst draw near to speak for us Behold him coming forth out of the midst of us the true Mediator and going for us into the Mount and there like Moses Exod. 32. 30. making an attonement for us And tho there is yet to come another shaking of all things shaking heaven and earth and all in pieces under this second Moses Heb. 12. 26. far more terrible then that under the first wherein he shall come in judgment to destroy his enemies from which then there shall be no Mediator to hinder him as Exod. 32. 10 11. yet then to those that obey him this Mount Sinai shall be changed into Mount Sion and the city of the living God c. see Heb. 12. 22. c. where are such and such glorious company And thither shall he also carry up his Brethren after the remainder of the 40 daies or 6 weeks of his abode there are expired Meanwhile from thence not from an higher place of the earth but from the highest heaven into which he is gone up he continually speaks unto us not with that terror as the Angels from Mount Sinai gave the law but with the soft voice of his spirit the ministration of which by him is opposed to that of the law by Moses 2 Cor. 3. 8 9. And wo be to all them that refuse to hear him far beyond those that refused to hear Moses Heb. 12. 25. -10. 29. 2. And then as resembled by Joshua or Jesus called so as a type of him he is the Conductor also of the people of God into the true land of promise Heb. 4. 8. the place of rest the rest of God Heb. 4. 5. Into which God hath sworn no unbelievers shall enter And into this our blessed Savior is entred already before us and set down the posture of resting at the right hand of God entred not only as a forerunner Heb. 6. 20. or leader to give an example that we should follow him thither the Anchor of our hope being already cast within the veil by the taking possession of this our forerunner Heb. 6. 19 20. But also a forerunner or Harbinger as Joshua his type also was to view that good land as it were and there to prepare a place for us Jo. 14. 2 3. in that house where are many mansions the heavens that we see being but a center to it from whence God looks down upon them as they upon the earth Ps. 113. not any therefore but an honourable a choice place there see Rev. 4. 4. where the Church-men were sitting on either side of Gods Throne in the midst of all the glorious train of Heaven and the Angels standing in a circle about them Rev. 5. 11. -7. 11. Father I will that those be with me where I am to behold my Glory c. Jo. 17. 24. not in the same region but in the same place of it where his glorious body is not in the Country only but of the Court following and waiting on the Lamb there where ever he goeth which is named as some special honour Rev. 16. 4. -7. 15. -3. 4. And from thence after this place prepared for us and us for it he hath promised to come again and accompany us thither in person Thus is he a forerunner to all the faithful in respect of their bodies entring into that celestial Canaan he being the first-born from the dead but